Tag: satch

About three weeks ago Joe Satriani released his 14th studio album, Unstoppable Momentum. It is a beauty. I say this with the listening experience of all albums, being a fan since the The Extremist album.

Coincidentally, The Extremist is also the album that Unstoppable Momentum reminds me most of sonically. From the opening bars of the opening track with the same name, Unstoppable Momentum is a very dense record melodically while giving you a huge sound range, inviting you to lie back and enjoy the ride just like the track Why did on the mentioned Extremist.

Rhythmically one can find the classic straight Satriani tracks as well as the syncopated beats that The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing suggested and many songs on the 1995 Joe Satriani answered. Especially during the latter kind of songs drummer extraordinair Vinnie Colaiuta, first time playing on a Satriani record, really shines.

The band. In the Behind the recordingYouTube video(s) Satriani explains how the band came about and how every take was special. I think you can hear it. In the drum intro to Can’t Go Back, in the break beats that work as foundation for Lies and Truths, in the groove that powers Jumpin’ In and Jumpin’ Out. This was not a track by track recording process (meaning first click, then drums, then bass, then guitars) but “let’s roll the tape and see if we catch the magic”.

Unstoppable Momentum is a really good record and maybe the best Satriani record since Joe Satriani.